I started diving in 1992, became an instructor in 1995, but have been inactive since 2010. After a November last minute hurricane postponement, I was rescheduled and took three days to stay and dive with Amoray the weekend before Christmas 2022. The shop (boat, gear rental, and classes) and accommodations are separate businesses but on the same grounds.
I live in Crystal River, Fl so they are located just over a five hour drive down.
Now as any diver should after some time out of the water, schedule a scuba review/refresh.
Kalen taught a scuba review/refresh for me as I hadn’t been diving in a few years. It was fun, no stress, and we had a few laughs! I enjoyed her instruction so much that I picked up a specialty from her as well. Thanks Kalen. You were right I was wrong, meet in the office not the pool! 😉 If you are thinking of picking up a specialty while in the keys, she has many that she can teach you as well as the rest of the instructional staff.
During the boat briefing I heard them mention Blue Star and I didn’t actual expect to see them in action on this, but I did! Twice in fact over three days. Aaron grabbed the hook and attempted to get the canister that was floating on the surface with Kalen’s assistance on day one diving in between dive sites. Then on day two, I actually was filming and diving with Alex and he took the time to carefully grab large wrappers tangled up in the coral and bring them to the surface at the end of the dive. Kate, the boss, was on the boat and not in the water, and she didn’t even see this. So it’s not just a “look at us” and we belong sticker, it is a we do protect our resources!
Captain G! Thank you! That dive was incredible, dropped right down on a nurse shark! After that on second dive multiple stingrays, more spiny lobster than I could count, a few barracuda, one lion fish, and one moray eel as well! And of course all the sites from the wrecks.
Day three, multiple sharks on the surface when we entered the water. Was a nice surprise!
I met divers from other dive shops in the area and other instructors as well while out on the dive boat, and they all help each other out regardless of organization, which I found be very refreshing.
The ladies in the office were terrific, they gave me notice on schedule changes from morning to afternoon dives and even offered to set me up on one of the other dive shop boats from another shop that were going out if I didn’t want to wait for the afternoon. I apologize as I don’t remember all of your names, but thank you for making my diving so smooth!
So my complaints….the pool was too warm, the dives were too short at an hour each (Could have spent two hours at each site 😜) and I didn’t get a chance to dive the Spiegel! Good thing I live relatively close.😎